Shelf for refrigerator cabinets



Oct. 7, 1947. c. H. NAUERT S HELF FOR REFRIGERATGR CABINETS Filed llarch-9, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR cm! A? @M I BY %//M% I ATTORNEY Oct. 7, 1.947. c. H. NAUERT 2,428,718

SHELF FOR REFRIGERATOR CABINETS Filed March 9, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 fiw-ORNEY 56 ,f/ W y: g a- Oct. 7, 1947. c, NAUERT 2;4 Z8,718 I SHELF FOR REFRIGERATOR CABINETS Filed March 9, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 fi u a 4/ 4/ w A. V v if M 2 4W 4/ a 40 4/ if 12} I NVENTOR 2425/ filTORNEY shelves made of plastic or Patented Oct. 7, 1947 2.428.718 sneer FOR aermaannroa'oanmars Carl B. Nauert,- Evansville,

Servel, Inc., Delaware lmL, assignor to New York, N. Y., a corporation of Application March 9, 1944, Serial No. 525,676

My invention relates to improvements in refrigerator shelves, and more particularly to sectional other moldable material.

In the manufacture of refrigerator'cabinets the depth of the food compartment of different size cabinets is often uniform, while the width of such food compartments of different size cabinets may vary according to the capacity of the food compartment. Heretofore complete separate shelves have been required for different size cabinets.

An important object of'my invention isto provide refrigerator shelves that are adapted for use with different size refrigerator cabinets.

It is another object of my invention to provide refrigerator shelves that are easily fabricated and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

It is a further object of my invention to provide refrigerator shelves that are easily cleaned and thereby kept sanitary.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Fig. 1 is a perspective erator cabinet showing one of my improved shelves located therein;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of one of my improved shelves;

- Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a filler strip of the shelf shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view, partly in section, of a corner of the shelf shown in Fig. 2; I

Fig. 5 is a partial top plan view, partly in section, of a modification of my improved shelf;

Fig. 6 is a partial top plan view, partly in secview of a part of, a refrig- 6 Claims. (Cl. 211-153) tion. of another modification of my improved shelf;

Fig. '7 is an exploded view of a. part of the shelf shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view, partly in section, of a further modification of my improved shelf;

Fig. 9 is a front view of the shelf shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of a still further modification of my improved shelf;

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view taken on line il li of Fig. 10;. and r Fig. 12 is a vertical l2|2 of Fig. 11.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings, wherein one embodiment of my invention is illustrated. the numeral 3., designates a plurality of long filler sections T-shaped in transverse section. These filler sections, which are molded of plastic, metal or other suitable material, have spacing bosses 2| integrally formed at each end and at the mid-longitudinal portion thereof, which bosses act as spacers for the filler sections.

These bosses are provided with openings 22. ex tending therethrough, which openings are adapted to receive tie rods 23 for holding the filler sections in assembled relation. Rods 23 are each provided with a head 24 on one end and a threaded portion 25 on the other end adapted to receive a cap nut 26. End filler sections 20 and 20 are similar to filler sections 20 except that the bosses are removed from one side thereof and element 20 is counterbored to receive cap nuts 28'. Filler element 20 may also be counterbored to receive the heads 24 of tie rods 23.

. The assembly of my improved shelf is simply a matter of selecting tie ,rods of a length corresponding to the width of the particular refrigerator food compartment wherein the shelf is to be used, then the filler sections are assembled on the rods, and then the cap nuts are applied to the threaded ends of the rods, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

Referring now to Fig. 5 of the drawing, wherein a second embodiment of my invention is illustrated. the numeral 30 designates a modification of the filler sections 20 shown in Figs. 2-4. Filler sections extending from one side thereof, which bosses are provided with truncated conical extensions 32. These filler sections are counterbored, as at '33, on the side opposite the spacing bosses so that when in assembled relation the truncated conical extensions of one set of bosses fit snugly into the counterbores of an adjacent filler section. End filler section 30 is similarto filler elements 30 except that bosses 3i are removed and the openings are counterbored so as to receive cap nuts 36. This shelf is assembled in the same manner as the shelf illustrated in Figs. 24.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7, wherein a third embodiment of my invention is illustrated, the numeral 40 designates filler sections generally similar to filler sections 20 of Figs. 2-4 except that there are no integral spacing bosses extending from these filler sections. Filler sections 40 are provided at each end and at their mid-longitudinal portion with openings and counterbored portions 43, which are adapted to receive truncated conical extensions 42 of separate cylindrical spacing elements ll. This shelf is assembled in substantially the same manner as the shelf illustrated in Figs. 2-4, I

Referring now to Figs. 8 and 9, wherein a fourth embodiment of my invention is illustrated, and wherein filler sections 40 and spacer ele-'- ments 4| are the same as those illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. Two spacing elements ,40 are provided with guides 44 which are adapted to locate a drip pan-45 under the evaporator (not shown). Spacing elements 4|" are similar to spacing elements 4| except that they are longer so as to provide greater spacing of the filler sections which would 31! are provided with spacing bosses 3i be located beneath the evaporator of aconventional domestic refrigerator.

In Figs. 10, 11 and 12 there is disclosed a fifth embodiment of my invention. The shelf illustrated in these figures is somewhat similar to the shelf illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, except that in this embodiment the middle portion of the shelf is located at a lower level than the. two end portions so as to locate a drip pan below an evaporator (not shown) of a conventional domestic refrigerator. In this embodiment the filler sections 40 and spacing elements 4| and 4| are the same as those illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. Two filler sections 40 are located equidistant from the ends of the shelf and are provided with spacing bosses 4i similar to the bosses 3| of Fig. 5. Filler sections 40 are also provided with three hangers 41 connected at their lower ends by an integral filler section 48 which is similar to filler sections 40 and which is adapted to receive tie rods-2i for supporting lower filler sections 40 and spacing elements 4 I.

It is to be noted that in each of the embodiments of my invention the different shelves are all made up of a plurality of sections which are easily and quickly assembled and disassembled, which greately reduces the cost of manufacture. Also according to my invention shelves of varying widths may be assembled by merely varying the number of sections used.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings disclose preferred embodiments of my invention, but it will be understood that this disclosure is merely illustrative and that such changes in the invention may be made as are fairly within the scope and spirit of the following claims. i

What is claimed is:

l. A shelf for use below an evaporator of a domestic refrigerator, said shelf comprising two sets of molded nonmetallic sections, spacing means associated with adjacent sections of each of said sets, tie rods extending through the sections and spacing means of each of said sets, hangers extending from one section of each of said sets, a. third set of sections extending between the lower ends of said hangers, spacing means between adjacent sections of said-third set of sections, and tie rods passing through said hangers, said third set of sections and said last named spacing means.

2. A shelf for a refrigerator comprising a plu- 4 perpendicular to said elongate portion, and tie rods located in said passages and fastened to tie said plurality of sections into an openwork shelf.

of which said bosses comprise relatively smooth front and rear edges thereof and said elongate portions form bars extending between and flush with the tops of said edges.

4. A shelf for a refrigerator comprising a plurality of sections. each section consisting of an elongate portion having a substantially straight upper surface and a boss at each' end of said elongate portion projecting laterally from each side thereof. each boss having its upper surface flush with the upper surface of said elongate portion and having a passage said elongate portion, and tie rods. located in said passages and fastened to tie said plurality of sections into an openwork shelf "of which said bosses comprise relatively smooth front and rear edges thereof and said elongate portions form bars extending between and flush with the tops of said edges.

5. A shelf for a refrigerator comprising a plurality of sections, each section consisting of an elongate portion having a substantially straight upper surface and a boss at each end of said elongate portion, each boss having its upper surface flush with the upper surface of said elongate portion and having-a passage perpendicular to said elongate portion, spacer elements, located between said bosses, each spacer element having passages coincident with the passages of said rality of sections, each section consisting of an elongate portion having a substantially straight upper surface and a boss at each end of said elongate portion, each boss having its upper surface flush with the upper surface of said elongate portion and having a passage perpendicular to said elongate portion, and tie rods located in said passages and fastened to tie said plurality of. sections into an openwork shelf of which said bosses comprise front and rear edges thereof and said elongate portions form bars extending between and flush with the tops of said edges.

3. A shelf fora refrigerator comprising a plu-' rality of sections, each section consisting of an elongate portion having a substantially straight upper surface and a boss projecting laterally at each end of said elongate portion, each boss having its upper surface flush with the upper surface of said elongate portion and having a passage bosses andhaving the same surface'contour as said bosses, and-tie rods located in said passages and fastened to tie said pluralityof sections into an openwork shelf of which said bosses and said spacer elements comprise relatively smooth front and rear edges thereof and said elongate portions form bars extending between and flush with the topsof said edges.

6. A shelf for a refrigerator comprising a plurality of sections, each section consisting of an elongate portion having a substantially straight upper surface, of adjacent sections with the upper surface of the spacer means flush with the upper surface of the elongate portions of the sections, said spacer means'and end portions of the sections having passages perpendicular to said elongate portions, and tie rods located in said passages and fastened to tie said plurality of sections into an openwork shelf of which said spacer means and end portions of the sections comprise a smooth surface at the front and rear edges of the shelf and said elongate portions extending between and flush with the tops of said edges;

'CARL H. NAUEnT.

- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS perpendicular to spacer means between the ends 

